11 May 2012

Football Technology and Referees

There is an increasing clamour for technology to have a greater involvement in decisions in football. Cameras on the goal, to check if the ball has crossed the line for example. In my view, football in this country sells and is successful around the World because it is a fast moving, dynamic, exciting game. It also relies on controversy to sell the game. The experts on T.V, the newspapers and media all feed and sell their products on the controversy that the fast moving game of professional football provides. The decisions the poor referees have to make in a split second are endlessly debated by the fans after the game, in pubs, in phone ins. Slow motions relays are dissected, analysed and opinions given..Sometimes, even with the help of these slow motion replays, they get it wrong. This debate and controversy is the life blood of the game. So let’s leave it to the referees and linesman to be human, make mistakes, get it right and wrong and continue to enjoy the controversy that this creates.